SUMMER CHILD, emily prentiss

008

"𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬 and Nicknames"

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ᴛʀɪɢɢᴇʀ ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢs: 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘴
－
𝐚/𝐧: sᴏrrʏ ғᴏr ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴡᴀɪᴛ ɢᴜʏs! ɪ ᴍᴏᴠᴇᴅ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴄᴏʟʟᴇɢᴇ ʟᴀsᴛ ᴡᴇᴇᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴏᴏᴋ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴛᴛʟᴇ ɪɴ!

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Emily had been making phone calls and sending emails, trying to figure out the logistics of Charlotte not going back to school.

There was the fact that they would have to drive up to Pennsylvania and pack up her dorm room, and the whole unenrollment thing.

Emily sat on the couch with her computer on her lap, Charlotte cuddled up to her side with her head on her mom's shoulder. Charlotte was watching the Hallmark channel, a cheesy romantic Christmas movie playing but she was barely tuned in.

After 10 minutes of watching the movie on a low volume while her mom straightened things out, she eventually just closed her eyes and laid on Emily's shoulder.

She didn't fall asleep; she could still hear the noise from the television and the clicking of the keys as her mom typed. But for the first time in a long time, she felt light.

The last time she felt like this, like she could breathe, was over the summer. Emily had been working non-stop for weeks, and they finally got a day to spend together.

It was a hot day in July, and Emily had suggested going to a beach for the day. Charlotte obliged, not necessarily wanting to spend a day outside in the heat, but willing to do anything that lets her spend time with her mom.

Charlotte can remember the day vividly. And the countless times Emily made her laugh so hard her stomach hurt.

Emily jumped across the sand without her sandals on. "Ow, ow, ow, fu- I mean... fudge."

Charlotte simply laughed at her mother's antics.

"You do realize you can just wear your sandals and then you won't burn the bottom of your feet, right?"

"Yeah, but then I can't walk right because the sand sucks me right in." Emily says with a slight attitude.

"Okay then, but don't come crying to me tonight when you've got blisters and can't walk." Charlotte chuckles and lays down on the blanket, book in hand.

Emily does the same, noticing that Charlotte has taken off her t-shirt, leaving her in her bathing suit top and shorts.

Emily smiled slightly, sadly. Charlotte hadn't worn anything but long sleeves in public in over a year. She was comfortable enough with Emily to wear short sleeves at home, but she rarely let her arms go uncovered in public.

She was happy to see her daughter have the confidence to show her scars, but it also hurt her to see all the white lines where she hurt herself. Hurt herself.

Charlotte looked over at Emily who was staring at her with a smile.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" Charlotte scoffed, returning the attitude Emily had given her moments later.

"No, you just look happy. I'm so proud of you." Emily cooed, stroking a piece of her daughter's blonde hair behind her ear.

"Thanks mom, I am." Charlotte stated genuinely, her eyes moving back to her book.